Solar Rebates & Subsidies

Substantial Subsidies for Domestic Solar Panel Installations

Are You Eligible?

The Victorian Government is making solar power more affordable. Under a decision taken by the government, from August 2018, solar photovoltaic systems will attract a substantial rebate for domestic consumers. There are a few eligibility qualifiers that home owners need to take into account before applying for the rebate. These are listed below.

1. Based on 2016/17 or 2017/18 tax assessment notices, your combined household income must be less than $180,000.
2. You must be the owner-occupier of the dwelling.
3. Your home must be valued at less than $3million.
4. You must not have an existing solar PV array on your property OR you must be replacing one that was installed before November 1^st 2009.

If you satisfy all these criteria, you will be eligible to apply for the rebate.

Eligible home owners may claim a 50% rebate for the cost of their solar PV installation up to the value of $2,225. This will make a huge difference to many home owners who are struggling with soaring electricity prices. At the current rate, a typical Victorian home can save $890 annually on their electricity bill by using solar power. The rebate offer ends June 30, 2019.

Solar power leaves no carbon footprint, requires little or no maintenance once installed and has no operating noise. It simply sits on your roof gathering sunlight and turning it into electricity. When your production exceeds your usage, your system feeds the excess back into the grid and you collect the income at the going rate.

To learn more about how a solar PV system can benefit your home, give me a call. I’m a qualified electrician and have been practicing for over 17 years. I only install Clean Energy Council approved products and I’m an accredited CEC installer.

Federal Government STCs

Are You Eligible for a Rebate?

Australian homes that install a small-scale renewable energy system, such as solar, may be eligible to qualify for a benefit under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES.) Installing such a system allows the creation of Small-scale Technology Certificates. These have value and can be traded. The number of STCs created by a system is determined by two factors –

1. The amount of green energy the system produces OR the amount of electrical consumption it reduces and
2. The climate of the region the system is installed in.

Owners of STCs have two choices for receiving benefits –

1. They may assign them to an agent (usually the installer in exchange for a discount on the installation fee) or
2. They may keep the STCs themselves and sell them at some future date through the STC market or via a STC Clearing House. 

Solar power is clean and green and the perfect solution for avoiding choking the planet with greenhouse gases. Installations occur all over the country and the solar gain can be maximised by tilting the panels toward the sun in more southerly latitudes. While the peak gathering period will always be in summer, they are still effective throughout winter due to the tilt.

Solar panels only need the occasional hosing down to remove dust and debris. Otherwise, they sit quietly on your roof collecting energy and converting it to electricity. To ensure the maximum solar gain possible, be sure to remove any trees that may shade the panels. This can have a significant effect on the amount of electricity produced and, therefore, the amount of money you save.

For more information on the Federal Government’s STC scheme and solar installations, give me a call. I’ve been an electrician for over 17 years and have installed numerous solar systems for happy customers.